During the 1930s, Bert Wheeler was half of the very successful but mostly forgotten comedy team of Wheeler & Woolsey. However, his partner died unexpectedly and Wheeler's career was never the same. In the early 1950s, Bert made a couple comedy shorts for Columbia Pictures. Of the two, "The Awful Sleuth" is by far the best.
Bert is a soda jerk who accepts a check from a customer but the check ends up being no good. What he also doesn't know is that the man is also a wanted crook.
When he arrives home at his apartment building, Bert recognizes the man and asks if he can exchange the bad check for cash and Bert is told to go upstairs and the man's friends will be happy to do this. However, the friends end up being other crooks and soon Bert stupidly says this once he realizes who they are....and the trio try to kill poor Bert to keep him from talking.
Most Columbia shorts of the era are pretty limp with few laughs. However, this one is cute and made me and my aunt laugh several times. Well worth seeing and fun...even though it is a remake of "The Big Squirt" and not a wholly original short film.
Bert is a soda jerk who accepts a check from a customer but the check ends up being no good. What he also doesn't know is that the man is also a wanted crook.
When he arrives home at his apartment building, Bert recognizes the man and asks if he can exchange the bad check for cash and Bert is told to go upstairs and the man's friends will be happy to do this. However, the friends end up being other crooks and soon Bert stupidly says this once he realizes who they are....and the trio try to kill poor Bert to keep him from talking.
Most Columbia shorts of the era are pretty limp with few laughs. However, this one is cute and made me and my aunt laugh several times. Well worth seeing and fun...even though it is a remake of "The Big Squirt" and not a wholly original short film.